CBI files charge sheet against 13 in NEET-UG 2026 leak case

India's Central Bureau of Investigation has formally charged 13 individuals in connection with the alleged leak of the NEET-UG 2026 medical entrance exam paper, moving the high-profile case into the trial stage. The agency filed the charge sheet before a special fast-track court at Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court on Tuesday, July 28, 2026.

All 13 accused, who are currently in judicial custody, face charges including criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust, and destruction of evidence. The charges have been filed under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Prevention of Corruption Act, and the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. The CBI cited 360 witnesses, 422 documents, and 43 material objects in its filing.

The case stems from allegations of irregularities in the conduct of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate), which was held on May 3, 2026, for nearly 2.3 million aspirants across India and abroad. Following widespread protests and allegations of a paper leak, the National Testing Agency cancelled the examination on May 12. A retest was subsequently conducted on June 21. On the same day the exam was cancelled, the Department...